March 7, 2006

We see the last 8 women and hear that 2 will have to go this week. Looking at the group, I predict Melissa and Kinnik will be cut. But then Melissa sings a Heart song, and I heart Melissa. Kinnik, though: phew! That was bad! Off key.

Ayla Brown is just atrocious but the judges are very kind to her, perhaps because she looks fabulous -- really tall! -- and was adorable in the film clip talking about how when she was a kid she believed her dad was Elvis Presley. They don't want her to go.

Paris Bennett was okay, but she seemed to have trouble keeping up with that dumb song "Rhythm of the Night." [CORRECTION: Sorry, the song was actually "Conga," but it's still dumb.] She should be better. I'm still waiting for her to be what she was when we first saw her at the auditions. Lisa Tucker was pretty good. Katharine McPhee: excellent! She sings "Think," you know, the one with "freedom, freedom, freedom!" I love that. She acts all bubbly, and it comes off well.

Mandisa, inviting a fat joke, sings "I'm Every Woman." She kind of blows everyone else away. Wow! It pushes Randy to adopt a new word of strong praise: "Ridiculous!" He's going, "Ridiculous! Ridiculous!" Paula says, "You sang your butt off," and we're seeing shots of Mandisa in tight jeans from the back and thinking "And that's quite a task!" Simon calls her brilliant. And let me just add, I think she looks great! She has a beautiful face, and her abundant body is magnificent. Awesome. Ridiculous.

Kellie Pickler ends the night with a song that's been sung too much on "American Idol" and that I'm inclined to despise, "I'm the Only One." But I'm convinced by this somehow. Simon says, "Kellie, you're what's known as a naughty little minx," which strikes me as one of the funniest comments he's ever come out with. She goes, "What's a minx?" I've been thinking her biggest problem is that she seems too much like Carrie Underwood, who won last year, so I understand where Simon is coming from when he adds, "I kind of prefer you to last year's winner." The reason for the preference is clear, both women seem down home and well-scrubbed, but Kellie seems a little dirty at the same time. You can see that Simon is into that. Ryan refers to the minx comment and Kellie yells out "I'm a mink!" And millions of people laugh at her, and also love her, in the same way we once loved Jessica Simpson, back when she was confused by Chicken of the Sea.

So who will go? Kinnik, for sure. For the other? I think Ayla deserves to go, but they want Melissa to go. But even Paris is at risk.

Paris gives the impression that she's always been treated as being the best in the room. Perhaps that has dulled her sense of competition, or drive. Her performance was really flat. Her song choices are so dull! Very disappointing. I think the men are stronger this season.

I agreed with Simon. I thought Kinnik was bad, but I thought Melissa was bad, too. She didn't compare to the Heart original, and it was obvious that she was falling far short. I didn't like Ayla's song, but I thought the praise they gave her was deserved.

bee makes a very interesting point about Paris. She's not living up to her potential, but I also think she has a cute factor working in her favor.

Hey look, it's Sigmund AKA J. Polk AKA Joseph W. AKA Jack Straw. They're all the same account, Ann; they all link to the same unavailable blogger profile. Either they're too dumb to realize that or they don't care. Probably both. I'm beginning to think almost all your trolls are the same bitter obsessive stalker.

Ha. Well, I've deleted them. BTW, have you noticed that my calling bullshit on a certain regular commenter has caused him to go away? You might speculate that these Polkies are the same guy, but I think they are obviously dumber, less substantive. I'm going to delete more. For the sake of neatness.

Esk,I agree that Mandisa was amazing, but is she better than Chris? I'm not convinced of it yet. Certainly she has a wonderful stage presence, but Chris seems more raw to me, and therefore at this point more interesting.

I think Elliot has quite a gift, as well. His performance last week was amazing, but he is not much fun to watch! I always want to look away, but his voice is beautiful.

Mandisa, otoh, is a joy to watch: expressive, charismatic, transmitting the emotion and meaning of the song to the audience. And she picks songs that she can sing TO the audience. I think this quality is what a lot of the younger set lack. Cuteness won't cut it (sorry Kurt!), and I think that Paris, Kevin, Will and Ayla will fail because of their lack of emotional maturity.

The problem with anyone singing a Heart song (particularly that one) is that Annie Wilson is the best rock and roll singer on the planet, male or female. When she sings "What About Love" you get all that intensity but you can tell that there's some room left in the voice. Melissa sang the song well enough but had the vocal pedal to the metal pretty much all the way through which is why Simon accused her of shouting the song.

Nonetheless, I hope she makes it through to the final 12.

Mandisa tore it up. Ayla didn't do much for me. Kinnik was terrible comparatively to everyone else. Can't say I much liked her last week either.

Any guesses as to what other compliments (and or insults) you could throw the Pickler's way and sail straight over her head?

(That 'mink' thing was so perfect it was almost too perfect. She's really a graduate student in media studies who is performing as a 'young, fresh and really country' contestant to see if it's possible to 'fake' sincerity afterall)

Maybe I'm just jaded but Kellie's whole shtick is starting to come off as an act to me. I mean, sure she probably didn't get served calamari and salmon while Daddy was away in prison, but give it a rest!

Carrie Underwood seemed real to me and I really liked her.

People here in North Carolina *hate* Kellie. Well, I can only speak for Fayetteville and Raleigh. The general consensus is that she makes North Carolinians look dumb.

It occurred to me last night that Kellie is pulling off a modern day country version of Goldie Hawn from her Laugh In days. So far it's working because it's probably pretty genuine. However, it's going to be a trick to keep it going and believable as she has more and more experiences that we know have to smooth away her fun lack of sophistication.

Lisa is flying under the radar. If she can take a hint from the Mandisa performance and push a little harder while still smiling like it's nothing, watch out. Again, song selection is crucial, but how many other "shower songs" does Mandisa have? I think those two may be the last females - sorry Pinkler.

for pete's sake, I cannot believe I'm posting about American Idol, but, whatever...I need this type of entertainment after toiling away all day...! I predict Chris will win, although Taylor is my favorite guy.Katherine bugs me with her posturing/posing/smouldering looks...I actually thought her performance was weak...a white girl version of Aretha. Mandesa is awesome and likable...I think she's the strongest woman, but cannot beat Chris. Melissa is way good, but will probably leave...she's better than Ayla and last night, better than Paris. Kellie is going to appeal to a LOT of people, but, again, cannot beat Chris. There you have it...the musings of a closeted Idol fan!

Sorry, I definitely have the McPheever (even though it's corny as hell). She is so sexy, and really has the best or second best female voice. She's just exactly the kind of girl that I would've liked to have ruin my life in college.

Simon's comment about Kelly wasn't just close to the ick, it was there. How old is he? How old is she? And watching her makes him think, "mmmm, you naughty little minx, that's right, give it to Daddy..." Hey, I'm not saying I don't think the same things but a) I'm much closer to her age, and b) I don't tell everyone my private, dirty thoughts on national TV. Besides, she doesn't have that good of a voice, honestly.

So many of these girls, I feel like I can't hear them at all in the beginning of their songs. I don't know if it's them, the mics, the music, or if the key of the song is too low for them, but it doesn't sound strong.

Kellie shouldn't win this competition but someone should be signing her up for a role in a sitcom next year. The neighbor kid... a couple of lines a week as the ditzy blonde. She has the appeal of Goldie Hawn circa Laugh In. I don't think it hurts that people wonder if it's a wee bit of an act or 100% genuine. It isn't "dumb" as much as "innocent/naive" methinks.